ChatGPT can generate fake Aadhaar & PAN cards

ChatGPT’s native image generation tool- GPT-4o which was opened for users across the world last week has been an instant hit. It is estimated that millions of people have created Studio Ghibli style portraits using it. However, a potential misuse has also been spotted. It seems there is a way to use ChatGPT’s power to generate fake Aadhaar cards and even PAN cards.

Several people on social media have been sharing such fake Aadhaar cards and PAN cards generated using ChatGPT. While the users may have been doing this for fun, it pegs a question about ethical usage of AI tools to create such photorealistic images.

Seeing the flurry of images on social media, ET Wealth Online tried to generate an Aadhaar card-like image via ChatGPT. The results have very close resemblance to the real-life image, but the text and numbers were jumbled up.

ChatGPT Aadhaar card possible misuse
We have given the following prompt to ChatGPT: “Create image create an aadhar card prototype for a man named "donald trump" with the address "0000 Colony, 00pur, India" with a random no. and picture”

The result:


We have also created another fake image using ChatGPT:


Users on social media are also questioning how ChatGPT gets the training for the data to use for generating an accurate picture of an Aadhaar card.

A social media user (Yaswanth Sai Palaghat) shared image of Aryabhatta. “ChatGPT is generating fake Aadhaar and PAN cards instantly, which is a serious security risk. This is why AI should be regulated to a certain extent.”

ChatGPT is generating fake Aadhaar and PAN cards instantly, which is a serious security risk.

This is why AI should be regulated to a certain extent.@sama @OpenAI pic.twitter.com/4bsKWEkJGr

— Yaswanth Sai Palaghat (@yaswanthtweet) April 4, 2025

Ok, so ChatGPT can create Aadhaar images. Thats not the interesting thing. The interesting thing is where did it get the Aadhar photos data for training? pic.twitter.com/kb6lvuD04E

— nutanc (@nutanc) April 3, 2025

How to verify an real Aadhaar card using QR code?
In the present form there is no cause for concern since the Aadhaar and PAN numbers generated by ChatGPT are totally random and do not represent any real number. Also, there is no QR code in either PAN card or Aadhaar card. So if you do a simple security check you can differentiate between a real and fake Aadhaar and PAN.

Every Aadhaar card has a Secure QR code on the Aadhaar and e-Aadhaar. By scanning the Secure QR Code on the presented Aadhaar/ e-Aadhaar, the identity of the presenter can be verified.

“QR Code earlier present on Aadhaar print-letter and e-Aadhaar contained only the demographic information of the Aadhaar number holder. UIDAI has introduced new Secure QR Code which contains demographics as well as photograph of the Aadhaar number holder. Information in the QR Code is secure and tamper-proof as it is digitally signed by UIDAI. The new digitally signed secure QR code can be read using UIDAI’s custom application and validate it against UIDAI digital signatures on real time. Therefore, any fraud attempted on Aadhaar can be easily detected by using QR Code scanner,’ said UIDAI on its website.

Secure QR code is a visual code containing demographics and photograph of the Aadhaar number holder which is digitally signed by UIDAI.

Data stored in QR Code is as follows:

• Ref ID
• Name
• Gender
• DOB
• Mobile
• Email
• Address
• Photograph
• 2048 bit digital signature

As for a PAN card, every PAN card issued since 2018 has a QR code. In 2018, the Income Tax Department introduced a redesigned PAN card featuring an enhanced QR code containing the cardholder's photograph and signature, along with other details, for enhanced security and verification. You can also verify a PAN number on the income tax website.

“The QR code on the PAN card contains encrypted data that can only be read by certified scanners, ensuring that only authentic entities can perform PAN verification. This mechanism effectively eliminates issues of fake PAN cards, incorrect information, or duplicates, ensuring that all PAN data is accurate and up-to-date. Furthermore, the comprehensive details encoded within the QR code allow for swift and accurate access to the cardholder's information, ensuring all transactions and verifications are processed without error,” said Protean Tech on its website.